St. Mary’s  College, a public liberal arts college of 2,000 students, sits at the bend of the St. Mary’s River, just upstream from the confluence of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. The place has a quiet, pastoral beauty. 

The campus architecture is styled in the tidewater tradition, largely brick and facing the scenic St. Mary's River. Townhouse accommodations feature private rooms with shared bath and functional kitchen (including major appliances). Outdoor classes are a common occurrence at the waterfront, in the garden, or in a grassy patch outside most academic buildings.